diff --git a/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i b/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i
index 322df42693..b953d8845a 100644
--- a/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i
+++ b/src/ifcwrap/IfcGeomWrapper.i
@@ -922,7 +922,10 @@ struct ShapeRTTI : public boost::static_visitor<PyObject*>
 
 			IfcGeom::BRepElement* brep = kernel.create_brep_for_representation_and_product(ifc_representation, product);
 			if (!brep) {
-				throw IfcParse::IfcException("Failed to process shape");
+				std::ostringstream oss_repr, oss_product;
+				ifc_representation->toString(oss_repr);
+				product->toString(oss_product);
+				throw IfcParse::IfcException("Failed to process shape. Product: " + oss_product.str() + ", representation: " + oss_repr.str());
 			}
 			if (settings.get<ifcopenshell::geometry::settings::IteratorOutput>().get() == ifcopenshell::geometry::settings::SERIALIZED) {
 				IfcGeom::SerializedElement* serialization = new IfcGeom::SerializedElement(*brep);
@@ -952,7 +955,9 @@ struct ShapeRTTI : public boost::static_visitor<PyObject*>
 					try {
 						shapes = kernel.convert(instance);
 					} catch (...) {
-						throw IfcParse::IfcException("Failed to process shape");
+						std::ostringstream oss;
+						instance->toString(oss);
+						throw IfcParse::IfcException("Failed to process shape. Instance: " + oss.str());
 					}
 
 					IfcGeom::Representation::BRep brep(settings, instance->declaration().name(), to_locale_invariant_string(instance->as<IfcUtil::IfcBaseEntity>()->id()), shapes);